Glass tray



April 13, 1943. R. A; MILLER 2,316,529

GLASS TRAY File'd Maich 19, 1942 //y l/E/V 719/2 ROBERT. M1. LE7? I? T TOR/VET K Patented Apr. 13, 1943 UNITED STATES P GLASS TRAY Robert A. Miller, Tarentum, Pa, assignor to Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company, Allegheny County, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application March '19, 1942, Serial No. 435,384

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to trays of the type employed for serving foods and refreshmerits and it has particular relation to the provision of a tray comprising a single panel of plate glass to which suitable handles are attached.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple, convenient, attractive and economical method of securing the handles to a tray of the foregoing type.

A second object of the invention is to provide a simple and attractive tray structure of novel design.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from consideration of the following specification and claims.

In accordance with the provisions of the present invention it is proposed to construct serving trays of single panels or plates of glass. These are provided with handle structures including slotted or shoe-like portions adapted to fit over the edges of the glass, the edges being notched to receive packings of an easily fusible metal, such as Roses metal, which, upon cooling, expands between the inner surfaces of the slot and the surfaces of the glass securely to hold the parts in position.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may now be had to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a tray constructed in accordance with the provisions of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional View taken substantially upon the line II-II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the construction shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view partially in plan and partially in elevation, of a modified form of the invention.

In the drawing like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

The construction as shown in Fig. 1 embodies a plate-like member H] of glass, which preferably has been tempered by subjecting a previously formed plate to a temperature approximately at the softening point, i. e. about 1200 F. and then to sudden chilling. A plate so treated is characterized by great strength, exceptional resilience and is not likely to break or shatter under the influence of sudden temperature changes. However, if the surface is ruptured to a substantial degree the plate automatically breaks into many small dice-like fragments, which, under most conditions, are substantially harmless to any one who may be struck thereby.

Member It] is provided with a handle structure I I, preferably of metal, such as aluminum, bronze or stainless steel and including a channel-like portion l2, with sides I2a and l2b adapted to fit snugly over the edge of the glass. The element I2 is formed with arms or extensions l3, which are interconnected with a bar portion I4 of such size and shape as conveniently to be gripped by the user of the tray. It will also be apparent from Fig. 1 of the drawing that the portions of glass within the channel portion 12 are formed with one or more notches it, which in the embodiment of the invention illustrated are inwardly flared or expanded approximately to a dovetail outline in which the notch is of greater width adjacent to the bottom than at the entrance.

These notches are filled with a packing of a readily fusible metal, such as Roses alloy, indicated at ll in Fig. 2.

This packing is designed to be poured into position while in a fused state through holes or openings l8, formed in the side lZb of channel element l2. Pits or depressions I9 are formed in the opposite side of the channel in alignment with openings I8 and in the pouring operation, care is taken that both the pits and openings are poured ful of molten metal, which in effect provides rivets firmly bonding the channel portions it to the metal cast into the notches 16. If the cast metal is of a type adapted to expand upon chilling, it will be apparent that the packing in the notches will be firmly wedged in place and that the metal in the openings 8 and depressions l3 will be under compression, thus insuring that the construction will be firmly united.

The construction shown in Fig. 4 includes a plate 25 similar to the plate III, which has a notch or notches 26 of an outline similar to the notches I6. The handle structure 2'! comprises a channel or shoe-like portion 28 adapted to fit snugly over the edge of the glass and to cover the notch 26. It also includes handle portion 29, which may be integral therewith. A protuberance or boss 30 is provided in the channel portion in such position and shape as to slide into' the notch 26 and the sides 3| of this portion may be slightly flared as shown in the drawing. However, spaces 31a are left between the edges and the flared edges of the glass, to receive the molten metal. Openings may be drilled into the channel element either through the sides as shown in the construction illustrated in Fig. 1 or by drilling holes outwardly through the web portion 32. These openings may converge or diverge as may be preferred and communicate with the spaces Ma and the inner edges of the notch. The latter space is poured full of fusible metal, such as Roses metal, introduced through the openings and providing rivet-like portions 33. It will be apparent that in this construction the handle is secured to the fusible metal packing in notch 26, both by the rivets 33 and also by reason of the flaring of the boss portion 30, thus increasing the strength of the construction. The boss 30 also fills a portion of the notches 6, reducing the requirements of expensive fusible metal.

The constructions illustrated are to be regarded merely as exemplary. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous modifications may be made therein without departure from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

l. A tray comprising a plate of glass having notches cutting in opposed ends, the notches being laterally flared toward the bottom, handle elements comprising channel-like portions fitting over the edges and covering the notches and having packings of readily fusible metal in the notches, said channel-like portions having holes formed therein, the holes being filled with metal constituting said packings to provide rivets between the packings and the handle elements.

2. A tray comprising a plate of glass having notches cutting in opposed ends, the notches being laterally flared toward the bottom, handle elements comprising channel-like portions fitting over the edges and covering the notches and having packings of readily fusible metal in the notches, the sides of said channel-like portions having holes formed therein, the holes being filled with metal constituting said packings to provide rivets between the packings and the handle elements, said holes being formed in the sides of the channel-like elements and registering with pits 20 formed on the opposite sides.

ROBERT A. MILLER. 

